Grain-binder



3 Sheets-Sheet .1.

LLANGASTB'R.

(No Model.)

GRAIN BINDER. No. 316,272.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet` 2.

- I. LANCASTER.

GRAIN BINDER.. i

No. 316,272'. v PatenteaApr. 21, 1885.

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3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

I. LANCASTER.

GRAIN BINDER.

No. 316,272. Pajzented Apr. 21, 1885.

UNITED STATES l Par-.nar Ottica,

ISRAEL LANCASTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GRAIN-BINDER.v

5PECIFICATION-forrn-ing part of Letters Patent No. 316,272, dated. yipril 21, A18.85.

Application filed February 11, 1884. (No modeLl To all whom t may con/0cm..-

Be it known that I, ISRAEL LANoAsrnR, of Chicago, in the county of-.Cook, and vin the State of Illinois, have'in'vented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain-Binders;

and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l shows a longitudinal sectional view ofmy binding mechanism on a verticalcentral plane; Fig. 2, a plan view of the same; Fig. 3, an end view of the bundle holder and compressor,with the bandsliding ring in position thereon; Fig. 4, a view of a transverse section on line A A of Fig. 1, looking from the bundle--holding end of the mechanism; Fig. 5, a view of a transverse section on line B2 B2, looking toward the bundle end ofthe mechanism; Fig. 6, asimilar view on the same line, looking from the bundle end; Fig. '7, an end view,looking toward the bundle,ofthe supports for the various parts of the, front end of the mechanism; and Fig. 8, adetail View, in end elevation,`of the series of band-separating spindles and the supporting-plate behind them.; Fig. 9, a detail View showing the manner in which the bandsY are fastened to and upon the carrying-wire, and also the tape for insuring the proper placing of the bands upon and around the spool.

'Ihe object of'my invention is to provide an improvement in'grain-binders using prepared bands,and dispensing with the usual tying or twisting mechanism entirely; and to this end my invention consists in the arrangement, construction, and combination of parts, as hereinafter described, and more specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, A designates my binding mechanism, which extends in a line parallel with the travel of the machine to which it is attached, either inside or outside ofthe drivingwheel on the stubble side of said machine.

As I intend to make no claim herein to any particular form of cutting, raking, or deliVering devices, I have shown none of them in the drawings, and theyn'eed not be described spe cifically. f

My binding apparatus or mechanism is applicable to any form of reaper, whether of the low-down or high delivery form. All that is necessary is, that the reaping and raking or carrying and delivering mechanism shall deliver gavels of or vapproximating to aA certain desired si'ze'in such -position that they shall lie with their lengths in the same line as that of the bindingapparatusand within reach of the clamping and holding arms thereof, to be hereinafter described.

/Vhere, on account of any peculiar form of raking or delivery device, it is necessary to set the binding apparatus on a line at a right or other angle to the line of travel of the machine in order to receive the gavels properly, such change of position from that described above can of course be made without departure from the spirit of my invention.

B-in the drawings designates a shaft to be supported in any desired way upon the binder-frame, and to receive motion of rotation in any desired way from any moving or rotating part of the machine. Itis to be so timed in its rotation as to revolve once yfor every gavel that is delivered by the machine to be bound.

Supported upon the binder-frame is the standard C, in which are journaled insuitable boxes provided therefor the shafts D E.

Upon shaft D isa bevel-pinion, D', mesh- I ing with and driven by the be'vel gear-wheel B' on shaft B. This pinion is so constructed that itis revolved once by one revolution of the wheel.

Each ofthe shafts is provided on the rear side of the bearing-standard with a detachable portion, D2 and E', square in cross-section. At their forward endsy these detachable 1portions rest in squaredl sockets inl the ends of shafts D and E; These sockets are open at one side, as shown,v to allow the ends ofthe shaft portions referred to to `be dropped into place in the sockets, where they are held by pins a, passing through lugs b and c on the sockets and shafts, respectively. The other and taperings ends of the squared shaft portions iit into corresponding sockets in the ends of shafts F and G. With this arrangement and construction the lattershaft-swill obviously be turned with and by the shafts D and E. Shaft E is to be driven in any convenient or desirable manner, either from the shaft B or from any part of the mechanism of the harvester. Y

Y Firmly attached by means of bolts to that ICO portionof the binder or harvester-frame upon which the bearingstandard C is supported is the standard H, to the upper horizontal plate, h, of which is bolted the plate hof the support I for my binding mechanism. This support is,

as shown, formed of the flat circular part i, y

' bottom of this offset the hub is made flat, so

as to form the horizontal attaching plate or portion referred to above. In this opening in the support and hub is clamped the end of spool M, upon which the prepared bands are to be carried, as hereinafter described. Within said spool is fixed the end of rod or fixed shaft N, and within this shaft is jonrnaled .the shaft F, whose front end is provided with an enlarged portion formed with a socket for receiving the end of the removable shaft portion D2. The rear end of this enlarged portion bears against the front end of the rod or shaft N. Similarly journaled in the downward extension from the spool M is the shaft G, formed with a socket similar to that on F, and serving the same purpose with reference to shaft portion E. The hub L is of course divided with the rest of the support, so that the top of the support and hub can be removed. They are fastened in place upon theV lower part by screws or bolts l Z, passing through lugs Z2 Z2, extending outward from the abutting edges of the hub.

The bars or plates attached to the flange around the rim of the support I extend rearward beyond the end of the spool. They are fastened to the flange a slight distance apart. They are eight in number, and are made not flat, but curved transversely, so as to form, when in place, a slotted cylinder surrounding the spool carrying the bands. Oneor more springs, O, are attached tothe inside of the front end of this cylinder, so that with their free ends they bear with slight pressure upon and keep in place the bands as they are carried up over and beyond the rear large end of the spool, as hereinafter described. Attached to.` the stationary shaft N, ata point just beyond the end of this slotted cylinder, is the circular plate P, and to the rear of and beyond this, also fixed to the shaft, is a similar plate, P. Attached to the outer edge of these plates are eight bars orv plates, K K', like those already described,which form ashort` slotted cylinder of the same diameter in a line with the other, and with its slots in line with those in the other. The rear ends of bars K K are beveled so as to flare outward, and the front adjacent ends of K K are correspondingly beveled, so that the faces of the adjacent edges are parallel,as shown at K2. In the plate P is journaled the hollow shaft p. In both plates P and P are journaled the shafts p', p2, p3, p", p5, p6, and p7.

Upon the forward ends of the shafts which project through the plate P are fixed the conical spindles R, R, R2, R3, R4, R5, R, and R7. These shafts and spindles are, as shown, arranged in a circle near the outside edge of the plates.

From the edge of the large or anged end of the spoolextends rearward the short dan e s, which is just outside of and projects slight y over the small front ends of all the spindles, except the one lettered R, which is shorter than the others, as shown. This spindle is provided with a spiral or screw thread, r, ex-

tending throughout its length. The other spindles are, as shown, provided with wire staples r r r', driven into their surfaces in spiral lines extending from the small ends of the spindles to near the larger ends thereof.

A portion of the large end of each one of these spindles is provided with a coarse screwthread, r2 r2. The outer peri pheries of the bases of these spindles come close to the edge of the plate VP and the passage between the ends of the plates or bars K K and K K', so that a band passing up over the spindles can be passed out through said passage onto the outside of the short cylinder.

Journaled upon the stationary shaft N, between the plates P and P', are the gear-wheels S and4 T, the former being provided with internal gearteeth, as shown at S,-gearing with the small gear-wheel S2 on the end of shaft G, and with external gear-teeth meshing with the pinion S3, fast on the hollow spindle-shaft p. This external gear on wheel S also drives pinions ql q g5 on the shafts p7 p6 p5 of spindles R7 R6 R5.

On the hollow shaft p, and turning with it, is a pinion, T, which meshes with pinion Tz on ashaft `journaled in plates P P. This shaft can be journaled and the pinion fixed on it, or the shaft can be xed and the pinion journaled thereon. This pinion meshes with the small gear-wheel g on the shaft p of spindle R', which gear-wheel meshes with and drives the gear-wheelT, already described. This large gear-wheel drives the small wheels on shafts @193114 of spindles R2 R3 R4. Withthis arrangement of gearing all the spindles are driven by power from the shaft E, and half of them are caused to revolve in one direction and half in the other. This is to prevent the bands when brought upon the spindles from lOO being carried around by them, as they would be if the spindles all revolved in one direction.

Upon the shaft F is fixed the gear-wheel F2, which turns in a recess in an opening through the side of the shaft N. This wheel F? meshes with thepinion F3 on a stud attached to the plate P, and this pinion in turn meshes with and drives the gear-wheel F4 on the hollow shaft F5, which passes through and is jour? naled in the plate P', and in the hollow shaftp.

' From the front end ofthe latter shaft the contained shaft is reduced in size, and from this point it extends through the spindle R, and is provided on its front end, just beyond the end of the spindle,with a hook, F6, extending from one side of it.

As the pinions on the spindle-shafts,as well as that one on the intermediate shaft,ias described above, are all of the same size, and as the two gear-wheels S and T are also equal in size, the spindles will all obviously be driven at the same rate of speed,while, as set forth above, hal'f of them revolve in one direction and the rest in the other.

The gear-wheel F2 on shaft F is of such size with relation to that of ipinion F4 on the hollow shaft Flthat the latter pinion and shaft will be revolved once for every complete turn of the shaft F. The rear end of shaft F5`is screw-threaded,as shown at f and this thread engages the teeth of worn1-wheel U, attached to and revolving with the gear U. This gear meshes with a gear, U2, attached to and revolving with the feed-wheel U2,having a milled or toothed edge. also meshes with gear Ut, attached to and earrying with it the second milled or toothed feedwheel,U5. This feed-wheel and attached gear are journaled directly over the other feed wheel and pinion in bracket-arms extending rearwardly from the plate P.

The feed-wheels are smaller than their intermeshing gears, so that a small wire can be introduced between their edges to be gripped by the teeth thereon, and this opening between the wheels is 'in line with the central longitudinal opening in the hollow shaft F5.

The gearing for driving the feed-wheels is arranged to turn -said wheels a suflicient dis'- tance for every revolution of the shaft F to draw the wire between them a distance equal to that between one of the bands strung thereon and the next one to it. These bands and the manner 0f placing them on and attaching them to the supporting-wire I will describe hereinafter.

Upon the shaft N are fixed and supported,

5o just in rear of the feed-wheels, the radial arms V V, eight in number. In their outer ends, which are within the circleof the short slotted cylinder, are pivoted the arms V V', attached to the inside of the front ends of a series of bars, V2 V2, similarin shape and breadth to those already described as forming the slotted cylinders inclosing the operating mechanism. They are so pivoted in the ends of arms V'V that the bars V2 V2 can be brought down into exact line with the bars of the short intermediate gear-inclosing cylinder, and can be swung back so as to stand at or nearly at right angles to such bars.

To the ends of the arms V V', opposite to those to which the bars V2 V2 are attached, are pivoted the ends of the links V3 V3, pivotally attached at their other ends to the sleeve Gear wheel or pinion U2 -shaft N. This earn-wheel is provided with the groove W2, with which engages the friction-roller fw on stud w, attached tothe arm NVS from sleeve W. This groove is so carried and curved around the periphery of the camwheel that as the shaft F revolves once the sleeve W will be caused to make a complete reeiprocation from one end of its possible travel to the other and back. With the link-con'- nections between this sleeve and the pivoted arms to which the bars V2 V2 are attached, said bars will obviously be swung up and down from a horizontal position parallel to each other, so as to form a slotted cylinder, to a vertical position, in which they radiate from .the shaft N, and back to their horizontal position as the sleeve XV travels from the rear end'of its possible movement to the front end thereof and back.`

The pivoted arms to which the bars are fattached are of such length and the barsare so attached thereto that when the lower or `in-l ner ends of the arms are carried inward and toward the front of the apparatus to the limit of their movement the bars will lie in exact line with the bars forming the short intermediate cylinder described above. The front ends of the bars of this cylinder are beveled to dare outward, as shown, and the ends of the bars V2 V2, which come in contact with them, are correspondingly beveled in the opposite direction, so as to make aclose lapjoint.

IOO

menare attached to the ring Y, tting around and sliding upon the slotted cylinders already described. This ring is by the arms and pitmen moved from the position shown in full lines to that shown by dotted lines in Fig.v l and back again for everyrevolution of the shaft B. The ring is on its inner face provided with Va seriesof teeth or projections,y y y, which proj ectinward between the slats or bars forming the cylinders. Y

, The cam-groove on the cam-wheel W on shaft F is so shaped that the pivoted bars or slats will be brought down into position to form a cylinder in continuation of the other xed cylinders, and held there just beforethe ring reaches their front ends and until it passes back 0H of them in its reciprocation. I coni template,for the purpose of steadying the ring and preventingits binding upon the cylinders, using two arms on the shaft B, and two pit-v IIC men attached to opposite sides ofthering by pivotal conneetions,as shown in the drawings, (see Fig. 3,) but can use one crank and pitman, if desired.

-As indicated above,the shaftsB and D have one revolution for every gavel delivered and to be bound, andthe hollow shaft carrying the band-separating hook also revolves once in the same time, while the shafts carrying the spindles are revolved ten times.

The rear end of the binding apparatus is so situated with reference to the gavels deliveredto it by the delivering device of the harvester that the bars V2 V2, when brought down toward each other,will inclose and compress the butt portion ofthe gavel,and will extend along prepared bands as strung upon a wire andfastened thereto by means of paste or glue.

The band feeding and binding mechanism herein described is adapted, also, to use bands sofastened on the carrying-wire; but I prefer to use with it a carrying-Wire having the bands crimped thereon, as described above. When they have been prepared and properly put on the wire, in order to ,facilitate and insure the proper placing of them upon the band-holding spool, l pass a tape, V3, through the series of bands, taking care that when l do so none of the bands are twisted, but that the tape passes through all in the same direction.

For storage or transportation, the ends of the tape are of course tied so as to bundle the bands.

In placing the bands on the spool, if the operator takes the tape between his thumb and finger, he can slip his hand and arm easily through the bunch of bands,and can then easily put them all on the spool without mistake or getting any of them twisted. In order to put them on the spool,the bolts holding the upper and lower portions ofthe support for the rear end ofthe spool together are removed, as are also the movable shaft portions which engage the sockets on the ends of shat'tsD and E. The series of bands strung upon'the wire, as described, can then be put over and around the spool. The end of the band-carrying wire is then threaded through the hollow hooked shaft F5 and inserted between the feed-wheels U3 and U"so as to be gripped by their adjacent edges. The bands are strung upon the wire at such distances apart that as the shaft Fwith the separating-hook, makes one revolution the wire is pulled along through the shaft by the feed-wheels, as described, so that a band-holding crimp in the wire will be straightened out by the forward end of the shaft, and the band will be brought within reach of the revolving hook thereon and be separated by it from the wire.

The operation of my binding mechanism is as follows: With the bands arranged as shown in Fig. 1, with one just over the front end of the intermediate gear-inclosing cylinder, one around the spindles about midway of their length, and one `inst separated from the wire by the separating-hook and extending around the ends of the spindles, the apparatus is ready for operation. The ring which forces the band along over the cylinders is then near the front end of the main spool-inclosing cylinder, and the end of the arm on the drivingshaft and operating the ring-moving pitman is at the extreme front point of its travel. By any of the common and Well-known gavel-sizing and delivery means a gavel is now delivered from the harvesterwith its butt-end in reach of the pivoted clasping and compressing arms, which now stand open at or near right angles to the supporting xed shaft. The revolution of shaft B now brings the end of the arm upon it around toward the rear of the apparatus, and the connected pitman causes the ring to travel along the cylinder which it incloses. Meanwhile the revolution ofthe shaft F causes the cam fixed thereon to move the sleeve on the fixed shaft toward Vthe front ofthe machine, and consequently, by the pivoted arms, to close together around the gavel. W'hen the ring comes against the band on the intermediate cylinder, it carries it along over such cylinder, over the arms inclosing the gavel, and onto the gavel. The end ofthe arm on the driving-shaft,hav ing then reached the extreme point of its rearward travel, begins to pull the pitman back toward and into its rst position. While it is doing this the revolution of shaft F revolves the cam thereon, soas to move the sleeve on the fixed shaft back to its original position, so that the arms are turned up again and the bound bundle is released. For the one revolution of the driving-shaft and shaftF to cause the arms to be closed and opened and the band-carrying ring to travel to the rear end of the apparatus and back, the band-feeding spindles have ten revolutions.

rlhe threads and spiral lines of staples on the spindles are so arranged that aband will be carried by them up onto the front end of the intermediate cylinder before the ring passes from the main cylinder onto such intermediate one. v f y By the action of the feed-wheels and separating-hook one band is brought over the end of the spool around the' ends of the spindles, and is separated from the wire for every sheaf bound.

The number and pitch of the threads or spiral lines of staples on the cylinders are such that the ten revolutions of the spindles for every single revolution of the drivingshaft and every bundle bound, as described above, will carry the band brought over the ends of the spindles, as set forth, back and overthe end of the intermediate cylinder in the track of the band-conveying ring. The revolutions of the spindles are to be so timed with reference to the revolution-of the IOO driving-shaft that the band will be brought up passes off of the spool-inclosing cylinder.

Having thus described my invention,what1 claim is* 1. In combination with the pivoted arms means for causing them to close together to clasp and compress a gavel and to open to drop the bundle and receive another gavel, a ring adapted to engage and force a band over the,`

closed arms onto the gavel, and means for actuating .the ring, substantially as shown and de-A scribed.

2. In combination with the series of pivoted gavel -receiving arms, links connecting the arms with a sleeve, a revolving cam, and connecting means between the sleeve and cam, `whereby the rotation of the cam causes the arms to open and close, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In combination with the stationary supporting-shaft, the radial arms attached there' to,'. tbelever-arms pivoted to their outer ends, the bars attached to the outer ends of these` arms, the links connecting the inner ends thereofwith a sleeve reciprocating on the shaft, and a revolving cam adapted to reciprocate the sleeve, substantially as shown and described.

4. The band conveying and placing ring, in combination with connecting-rods pivotally connected to the ring on opposite sides thereof and to revolving crank-arms, by which they are driven to reciprocate the ring, and means for revolving the arms, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The prepared bands strung upon a wire and fastened thereto by crimping the wire to vcause it to clasp a portion of each band, substantially as shown and described.

6. The prepared bands for use in a bindingmachne,strung upon the feeding-wire at equal distances from each other, and fastened and held in place by crimps in the wire, substantially as shown and described.

7. In combination with means for separating the bands from the carrying-wire, feedwheels adapted to grip the wire between them and feed it along as they revolve,so as to bring the bands successively within reach of the separating mechanism,and means for driving such feed-wheels, substantially as shown and described.

8. In combination with the hollow shaft carrying the band-separating mechanism, means for revolving the shaft, the feed-wheels for gripping and feeding the band-carrying wire, and connecting-gearing between the shaft and wheels, whereby the wheels will be caused to rotate and feed the band-carrying wire, substantially as shown and described.

9. In combination with the revolving hollow shaft carrying the band-separating mechanism, the feed-Wheels adapted to pull the band-carrying wire through the shaft, and suitable connecting-gearing between the shaft and feed-wheels, whereby the latter are by each the wire along vto bring a new bami within reach of the separating mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose described.

10. The revolving hollow shaft carrying the separating-hook, the pinion driven by a wormv on the shaft and meshing` with and driving one ofthe pair of feed-wheels, and the gearing by which both the gear-wheels are caused to turn together, all in combination, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

11. In combination with the hollow shaft carrying the band-separating hook, means for revolving the shaft once for every sheaf bound, feed-wheelsfor the band-carrying wire driven from the shaft through suitable connectinggearing, to bring a new band within reach of -band-delivering spindle, the series of band y spreading and delivering conical spindles provided with series of staple-like projections arranged in spiral lines extending from-the forward ends of the spindles to points near their rear and larger ends, and with spiral grooves extending around the spindles from the rearv ends'of the lines of projections to the bases or rear ends of the spindles, substantially as and for the purpose described.

13. The hollow shaft through which the band-carrying wire is fed, provided with the separating-hook, the spirally-grooved spindle surrounding the shaft, and means for rotating the spindleand shaft independently of each other. substantially as and for the purpose described.

14. The hollow shaft journaled in plate P, carrying the band-delivering spindle R, means for rotating the shaft F5, journaled in shaft p and plate P, and carryingon its forward-end the band-separating hook, and means for rotating the shaft, substantially as and for the purpose described.

15. In combination with the series of band spreading and delivering spindles, the gearwheel S,meshing with and driving pinions on the shafts of a portion of the series, and the gear-wheel T, driven from a pinion on one of these shafts through an intermediate pinion, and meshing with and driving pinions on the `revolution of the shaft rotated, so as to feed IOO IIO

remainder of the spindle-shafts, so that a portion of the spindles revolve in one direction and the rest in the other, substantially as and for the purposedescribed. 4

16. In combination with shaft G, carrying' pinion s2, the gear-Wheel s, provided with teeth meshing with those of the pinion, and with others meshing with the teeth of pinions S3, ql, q, and g5 on spindle -shafts p, pl, p6,

'and p5, the pinion on shaft p driving gearwheel T through an intermediate pinion, and

the pinions q q2 g3 g4 on spindle-shafts p p2 p3 p* meshing with gear-wheel T, substantially as and for'the purpose described.

17. In combination with the band-carrying 5 spool, the stationary shaft for supporting the binding mechanism, fixed in and supported by the spool, and means for detachably attaching the spool to and supporting it from the harvester-frame, substantially as shown and described.

18. In combination with the band-carrying spool, the stationary binding mechanism supporting fixed. shaft within the spool, the shaft for operating the band-feeding and bundlecompressing mechanism, journaled within the fixed shaft, the shaft for driving vthe band-delivering spindles, journaled within the spool, and means for clamping one end of the spool to and supporting it from the binder-frame,

2o substantially as shown and described.

. 19. In combination with the shafts F and G, provided with angular sockets in their ends,

the driving-shafts D and E, provided with angular sockets open at one side, the short re- 2 5 movable connectingshafts D2 and Ef, having ends adapted to t in the sockets in the shafts, the lugs on the socket ends of shafts D and E and on the corresponding ends of shafts D2 Yand E', and pins passing through the lugs,

3o substantially as shown and described.

20. As a connecting means between the driving-shaft and the shaft to be driven thereby, journaled in a removable portion of the binding-mechanism support,aremovable shaft 3 5 having angular ends adapted to enter and engage angular sockets in the ends of the driving and driven shafts, substantially as shown and described.

21. In combination with the band-holding spool, the series of bars suitably supported 4o at or near their front ends, and extending rearward to form a slotted cylinder surrounding the spool, and acting as a guide for the bandcarrying ring in its reciprocation to and from the slotted cylinder upon which the bands are delivered to be acted upon` by the ring, substantially as shown.

22. The series of bars fixed to the peripheries of the gear-supporting plates P and P', and forming a longitudinally-slotted cylinder, the series of bars fixed at their front ends and forming'a slotted cylinder extending rearward nearly to the cylinder inclosing the gearing, the pivoted bars adapted to be swung down to clasp a gavel, and a traveling ring adapted to travel over the cylinders and carry a band delivered onto the intermediate one over the pivoted bars onto the gavel, substantially as shown and described.

23. In combination with the spool and gearinclosing slotted cylinders, means for deliver'- ing prepared bands up onto the gear-inclosing cylinder through an opening between the two cylinders, a toothed ring reciprocating over said cylinders and adapted to carry the band over the gear-inclosing cylinder and the gavelinclosing bars onto the gavel, substantially as shown and described. l

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 8th day of 7o November, 1888.

ISRAEL LANCASTER.

Witnesses:

WM. H. FOULKE, Tiros. CHARLES. 

